Tabb Is Game Closer To Championship

RADFORD — Anthony Han's decision to play in the state Group AA boys soccer semifinals helps Tabb overcome William Byrd and stifling heat on Radford's collegiate-size field.

Earlier this week, Tabb's Anthony Han wasn't sure if playing in the Group AA boys soccer state semifinals was more important than competing in front of dozens of college coaches with his Olympic Development Program team.

He struggled with the decision, but finally elected to join his Tabb teammates. His choice paid off Friday for Tabb, which got past William Byrd 1-0 at muggy Radford University behind a goal by Han in the 10th minute.

Tabb (18-3-1) will play Blacksburg today at 3 for the state championship. Blacksburg defeated Potomac Falls 3-2 in penalty kicks on Friday night. It will be Tabb's first trip to the title game since 1997, when it defeated Virginia High of Bristol. The last Bay Rivers District boys soccer team to win the championship was Jamestown in 2001.

Han, a sophomore forward, led Tabb in conditions that were unusual for both teams. Radford's field is college regulation, which is longer and wider than the fields Tabb and Byrd (18-4-1) were used to playing on this season.

"The field was almost too big because the guys were trying to play into (open space), but it was too much space," Tabb coach Scott Kuhnle said.

With temperatures in the upper 80s and humidity near 100 percent at midday, players on both teams in Friday's semifinal had trouble staying fresh. One of the players most affected by the heat was Tabb midfielder Mike Krewinghaus, who played despite a strained medial collateral ligament he sustained three weeks ago in his right knee.

Kuhnle said Krewinghaus, a senior, was playing at about 85 percent of full strength, but added Krewinghaus' conditioning was lagging. Kuhnle played him in intervals of 10-15 minutes before giving him a rest.

After the game, Kuhnle encouraged his players to focus on making shorter passes and not spreading the field as much in today's game to conserve energy and have more effective possessions.

Though Tabb spent most of the first half on Byrd's side of the field, Byrd made it difficult for Tabb to get open shots by playing what Kuhnle described as a "low-pressure" defense. Byrd allowed Tabb to attempt long passes, and capitalized on several occasions by stepping in front of those passes.

Han was able to take advantage of the time Tabb spent near Byrd's goal early in the game. He found himself open for a look at the goal in the 10th minute of the first half. He took a loose ball and blasted a shot from the left side of the goal about 10 yards away. It nestled in the right corner of the goal.

The goal made Han's decision to join his teammates in Radford a little more logical in his mind. He plays for the Region I ODP team, which was scheduled to play in a tournament this weekend where several college coaches would be scouting players. Han is one of only two local players on the Region I ODP team, which includes players from Virginia and several states north of Virginia.

"I was really confused about what to do," said Han, who was selected first-team all-Bay Rivers District and all-Region I this season. "I had to make a decision, but I think I would've made the right decision either way. I don't know. I'm glad it turned out the way it did."

Kuhnle understood what Han was going through trying to make up his mind.

"That's a tough decision when you've got that much pressure on you," Kuhnle said. "We're glad he was here."

"Their coach told me (Cooke) had never played on a field this big, so he was really tired," Kuhnle said.

In the final 15 minutes, Kuhnle said, Byrd decided to look for scoring options other than Cooke. Both teams had good runs up the field and managed to cross passes near the goals, but the players were so tired they weren't able to catch up to the passes and attempt strong shots.